The Beauty of Friendship
by Papreeka
Summary: Smash Mansion is an intimidating place at first. Link learns that not everything revolves around saving the world, that everyone deserves a little break, and that everything is better when you've got friends by your side.


**OH THE ANGST**. Seriously. I apologize in advance, guys.

One chapter. One shot. No real shippings. Don't know what I hoped to gain with this and to be honest this is the first time I've thought of the Smash universe like this. Like, honestly, usually I keep Smash characters and game characters apart with a friggin' wall of China with military guards stationed every few feet.

But what the hell, I wrote it so here you go.

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><p>Smash Mansion, as beautiful and wonderful as it was, was no place for Link.<p>

Suddenly ripped from his own world and placed here, he had spent his first two weeks trying to find his way out until he realized that there was no way out. Nor was there any concept of time. The Smashers were ageless, and no matter how hard one could be hit no one would fall into death. It was weird, and all he could think about was how badly he needed to get back to Hyrule. Back to the kingdom he had lived in all his life; the kingdom that had fallen into darkness and despair. It was his job to save it, and he was failing.

No matter how many stages he cleared, no matter how many enemies he felled, it was always the same. More training, more fighting. The other Smashers had about as much of a grip on it as he did, and more than once he saw the young angel fly as high as he could into the air before losing control of his wings and crashing down to earth. A boy would often fly around, looking for anything, on a large orange dragon-looking creature. The more rugged of the two blue-haired swordsmen was often staring off to the east, and even the little spaceman with his multicoloured friends gazed longingly into space sometimes.

They are shared similar stories, villains and heroes alike. Trying to save or take over the world they came from, and suddenly warped here. And while Link felt his lip curl every time he saw Ganondorf, he couldn't help but to be relieved that his foe was here rather than being back in Hyrule. At least with him in the Mansion, nothing worse could happen.

There was a small, big-eyed child who carried a sword identical to his. He had never thought two Master Swords to be possible. He was no older than twelve, and wore clothes so similar to his own. In the rush of battle and the confusion of everything, he never got the chance to inquire him about it.

Zelda was here too. Just when he was beginning to feel relieved that Hyrule was well off, the knowledge that it had no leader terrified him. He was not the only one that thought that, either. He noticed that Zelda would fight with extra ferocity against Ganondorf, and she too would take a few extra seconds to gaze longingly at Hyrule Castle when they fought on the Eldin Bridge.

The other fighters carried weapons and strategies far different then his own. One girl had a large metal suit that would blast other Smashers with such ferocity. There was a canine creature that would use mental powers to control energy and such around him. Two more young boys seemed to be able to control the elements themselves.

You had to be quick on your feet and able to adapt to work your way up here. And though Link was unfamiliar with a majority of the forms of war the Smashers used, he still learned their weaknesses and how to defeat them. Not that he went entirely undefeated—not at all; no one did—but he was one of the better.

There was a time when he found the angel sobbing with his door slightly ajar. "Palutena," he had cried, the name carrying sentimental value to him. Link had entered, surprising the boy who had not expected to be found. And despite himself, and the fact that they could be fighting each other within the next hour, he had opened his arms and offered him a hug. And surprisingly, he had taken it.

The angel's name was Pit. He was three years younger than him, and he was Link's first friend at the Smash Mansion.

Link knew of the consequences of having a friend here. He would have to fight him as he would anyone else. But it was surprisingly easier than he would have thought, for fighting between them slowly turned into a sort of game. And with a smile on his face for the first time since he had entered the Smash universe, Link forgot completely about Hyrule.

He started talking with Zelda as well. The two of them shared thoughts about what they thought was happening back home, and they offered comfort to each other in their times of affliction. When team battles were introduced more than once Link found himself and Zelda allied against Ganondorf and some other Smasher, and neither hesitated to take the Gerudo out before the other foe.

The three of them started training together, learning to adapt to the different battles styles of the other. Zelda had magic, Pit had flight, and Link had his sword. Link learned that he could either shoot Pit out of the air with an arrow or wait until he had to land before catching him. The same technique worked with the other flying Smashers. With Zelda it was a bit trickier, for she had magic that could reach him from across the stadium. He learned to watch his back and keep his feet quick, and to wait for her to recharge before diving in. As well, Pit and Zelda learned to take advantage of the fact that a simple blade could not protect him from everything.

Battles were becoming fun with the three of them. Whether they were fighting against one another or together, they always found something to laugh or smile at.

And soon the other Smashers began to join them.

Friendships were beginning to grow. Link began to learn the other fighters by name. The villains tended to stay away from the heroes still, but bonds began to form. Ike stopped staring to the east during all his free time and trained with Link instead. Olimar and Pit became close friends, and he and his Pikmin began to stare into space less and less. Even Red started socializing instead of riding his Charizard around looking for a way out. Link and Toon Link shared stories and strategies, and Zelda and Peach bonded together like the oldest of friends. Even Pit managed to break through Samus's hard shell to spawn a special friendship between them.

When Link learned that their worlds had been frozen until they came back, his worries eased. He would still sometimes sit on the edge of the Bridge of Eldin stage and watch Hyrule Castle, though, often accompanied by Zelda or Pit. Sometimes he would go with the younger boy to Skyworld to listen to him explain about all the wonderful things back there. But everyone was slowly getting used to the fact that everything was okay.

Now they had each other. Pit had more than once voiced about how great it was to have real friends, and how he wanted to spend as much time with them as possible before they had to go back. And since there was no real time, nothing was being lost.

Link sighed in content as he walked with his friends on their way to another match. Not a survival-driven match like it used to be, but a fun time among friends. With a smile, he looked at his new companions.

Hyrule could wait just a little bit longer.


End file.
